Jan. 11, 2011
Approximately 300 members of the CUA community - including President John Garvey and his wife, Jeanne - are expected to participate in a day of community service on Monday, Jan. 17, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.
The Garveys, along with CUA students, faculty, and staff, will spend the holiday volunteering at sites throughout Washington, D.C.
A group of about 150 CUA volunteers will clean, paint murals, and help beautify Ketcham Elementary School in Southeast, D.C., in conjunction with the organization City Year. Another group of volunteers will do similar work at Browne Education Campus in Northeast, D.C., in partnership with Greater D.C. Cares. Other volunteers will spend the day at the Washington Hebrew Congregation in Northwest, D.C., preparing food, sorting donated clothing, and making arts and crafts with children.
Volunteers will gather in Caldwell Hall Auditorium at 8 a.m. for a brief orientation and breakfast. Rev. Jude DeAngelo, O.F.M., Conv., university chaplain and director of campus ministry, will lead a prayer before the volunteers depart campus.
This is the sixth year that members of the CUA community will spend the holiday held in honor of the civil rights leader's birthday engaged in service projects.
This year, the day of service is part of a four-month-long campaign on campus to accentuate the four cardinal virtues. The month of January is dedicated to the cardinal virtue of justice. Those who participate in the day of service will receive sweatshop-free T-shirts that feature the theme of justice.
The campaign is directly related to Garvey's inaugural theme "Intellect and Virtue: the Idea of a Catholic University." Garvey will speak on the theme at his inauguration as Catholic University's 15th president on Jan. 25; it is also the theme for a semester-long series of lectures and other events.
The other cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance and fortitude will be celebrated between February and April.
Members of the CUA community who are interested in volunteering should sign up at http://service.cua.edu/ .
For additional information about the inauguration and related events, visit http://president.cua.edu/inauguration/index.cfm .